On World Environment Day 2025, The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA)announced the establishment of the Green Innotextile Base (GIB) in collaboration with the Pudong NewForce Incubator and Pudong-Hong Kong Institute for Technology Transfer and Innovation. Theannouncement, along with an unveiling ceremony, took place in Shanghai during the inaugural Innostech 2025 Shanghai-Hong Kong Seminar.
The innovation platform will launch its initiatives in the Yangtze River Delta region, focusing on sustainable development, circular economy initiatives, research on new textile and apparel materials and the integration of fashion with artificial intelligence.
The GIB not only aligns with national green and innovation policies but also focuses on setting technical standards, providing certification services and offering a technology transfer platform to accelerate technology adoption. Additionally, the GIB will facilitate technology matchmaking and market expansion opportunities for Hong Kong enterprises, fostering cross-regional investments and industry collaborations.
Ms Teresa Yang, Chairman of HKRITA, stated, “The Green Innotextile Base leverages the strengths of the textile industry to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration across industry, academia, and research sectors. It promotes the application of smart manufacturing, seamlessly integrating advanced innovations into the textile supply chain alongside sustainable fashion principles. The GIB supports the industry in balancing environmental benefits with economic growth while enhancing competitiveness in both domestic and international markets.”
Mr Geng Zhongwei, Chairman of Pudong New Force Incubator, says, “An industrial operation platform must serve as a focal point for exceptional resources, integrating various incubation services to support entrepreneurs and refine startup projects for implementation. Pudong New Force Incubator is developing AI-driven automation services to anticipate and resolve challenges faced by startups. An incubation platform should facilitate the growth of startup businesses and its performance should be evaluated through value-added services. The Green Innotextile Base represents an important practice in this new phase.”
Mr Chan Yi Ngok, representative of Pudong-Hong Kong Institute for Technology Transfer and Innovation, added, “The Green Innotextile Base will be a key pillar in the Pudong-Hong Kong and Shanghai-Hong Kong sustainable development collaboration. We are eager to host talent training programmes, promote international exchanges, lead technological fashion trends and foster new and green productivity in the Yangtze River Delta region.”
Additionally, HKRITA announced a partnership with NeoRita Sustainable Technologies (Shanghai) Ltd to leverage its proprietary bacterial cellulose transformation technology in developing a range of eco- friendly, vegan leather cultural and creative products. This collaboration not only demonstrates the practical applications of HKRITA’s technologies but also highlights Hong Kong’s innovative advancements in sustainability across industries, paving the way for broader development.
